Teamsters Call On Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan To Stop Abuse Of U.S. Workers

Teamsters Call On Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan To Stop Abuse Of U.S. Workers
PR Newswire
TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2013
Teamsters, EXAL Corp. Workers Rally to Hold Canadian Investor Accountable
TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters rallied outside
the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (Teachers') offices today, publicly calling
on Teachers' to stop worker and human rights abuses at EXAL Corp., an aluminum
bottle manufacturer in Youngstown, Ohio. EXAL is owned and actively managed by
the Canadian pension plan.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO)
The demonstration took place during Toronto's morning rush hour. Dozens of
Teamsters chanted demands urging Teachers' to stop using the hard-earned
pension assets of Ontario's unionized teachers to deny U.S. workers their
right to organize and collectively bargain.
"Teachers' proclaims a commitment to socially responsible investing, while
actively promoting and financing a vicious campaign of fear and intimidation
against workers in the United States at EXAL," said Robert Bouvier, President
of Teamsters Canada. "We are here to call on Teachers' to step up and end this
worker abuse."
"We are united in the fight to protect the rights of workers in Canada, the
U.S. and around the world. We will hold the Teachers' accountable to their
commitments as a responsible investor," said Randy Doner, President of
Teamsters Joint Council 52 in Canada.
After EXAL workers began organizing with Teamsters Local 377 in Youngstown,
Ohio, early in 2012, management began aggressively intimidating and
retaliating against union supporters.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal agency responsible for
enforcing labor law in the U.S., found that EXAL unlawfully harassed,
interrogated, threatened and spied on workers who support joining the
Teamsters.
"I am not the only one who lost everything. Management wanted to make an
example of me for taking on the role of the union activist," said Daniel
Szenborn, a seven-year EXAL employee in Youngstown who was terminated by the
company in February. The NLRB found that Szenborn was harassed and spied on by
EXAL management.
"EXAL Corporation and Teachers' continue to subject workers to intimidation
and harassment, simply because the workers want to better their lives and join
the union," said Ralph "Sam" Cook, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 377.
"All we want is for these workers to be able to exercise their right to hold a
fair election free from management influence or interference."
Teachers' has refused repeated calls by the Teamsters, the Ontario Teachers'
Federation and the Canadian Labour Congress to take action to protect EXAL
workers. As EXAL's controlling owner, the pension plan has three
representatives directly from the ranks of its Teachers' Private Capital
Division serving on EXAL's board.
EXAL manufactures aluminum bottles for Coca-Cola and Pepsi, as well as
Anheuser-Busch InBev brands, including Budweiser and Bud Light.
The Teamsters represent 115,000 members in Canada in all trades. The
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is
affiliated, was founded in 1903 and represents more than 1.4 million
hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Follow
us on Twitter @Teamsters and "Like" us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/teamsters.
SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Website: http://www.teamster.org